Christmas

We expect too much at Christmas. It’s got to be magical. It’s got to go right. Feasting. Fun. The perfect present. All that anticipation. Take it easy. Love’s the thing. The rest is tinsel. (Pam Brown) All the preparations have started for the big day - December 25th. Christmas is one of those times that we imbue with special meaning and significance. We want everything to be just right, perhaps, even perfect. I was thinking about this and trying to understand how we got ourselves into this mode of thinking. More important, though, is how can we get ourselves out? ...

I suddenly realized that today is the 1st of December. My thoughts, of course, turned to the reality of the fact that Christmas is coming soon and the need for getting ready. No matter what faith or tradition we are raised in, everyone seems to get caught up in the Season — even if it’s just being present at an office or school party. I felt like writing a Christmas acrostic to get me caught up in the language of Christmas. “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”― Hamilton Wright Mable ...

Have you written your letter to Santa yet? You ought to be thinking about it. It’s already December 1st tomorrow and Santa’s a very busy soul. Santa came to town here in Toronto on November 20th and thousands of little and big people flocked to see him on his arrival. Mark Twain, famed author of “Huckleberry Finn” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” wrote a letter to his three year old daughter, Susie, which I am sharing with you below. He was playing the part of Santa. It was written in 1875. Samuel Langhorne Clemens is Mark Twain’s real name and for your information, he was born on November 30th, 1835. Today is November 30th, 2016 - his date of birth. That’s just a synchronistic occurrence since I didn’t know this until I looked it up. I think you will enjoy reading this letter - coming from the pen of this famous author. I know I enjoyed reading it. It might just put you in the Christmas spirit as well. ...

Dear Father Christmas: I haven’t written to you since I was a little girl. I know that your specialty is children and specifically bringing toys for all the good boys and girls across the globe on Christmas Eve. You’re a jolly fellow and there’s even a popular song written about you called “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” Since you are in the “happiness” business, it occurred to me that you might be someone to ask for help with the crises we face in the world today. When I wrote to you a long time ago, my needs were small but these days, they are big. ...

We’re so fortunate in Toronto that we have our own Christmas Garden Show. Allan Gardens had the opening of their Christmas Flower Show last Sunday. The gardeners there did a magnificent job decorating the entire greenhouse which houses many different kinds of poinsettias and other flowering plants. The theme this year is winter and you will be able to see the skaters and the tobogganer in the collages below - all beautiful topiary creations using plant material. There were horse and wagon rides for old and young alike, carollers, and a visit from Santa himself. The hot apple cider provided was a welcome treat but the cookies were gone by the time I got there. Apparently this show was recognized as the “Garden Event of the Year” at the 2015 Canadian Garden Tourism Awards. Hope you enjoy the collages! ...

[caption id=“attachment_2687” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] “Traditions have been replaced by lifestyles.” – Lars Svendsen, A Philosophy of Boredom[/caption] Christmas is just around the corner. I was trying to figure out what it was that impelled me to go over to the nearby Garden Centre on Friday and buy some evergreen branches. I did hear that Santa was coming to town in Toronto on Sunday and that the Santa Claus Parade was taking place. But was it that? “No!” I had begun to feel Christmassy. Christmas had begun in my heart. “It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” (W T Ellis) ...

At Christmas-time, we tend to forget that many people are alone. This could be intentional or the result of circumstance - death, divorce, broken friendships, family far away, or an endless variety of reasons. For those who choose to spend the time in solitude meditating or with other plans, there’s joy in being alone. For those who would prefer to be with others but have no others, it can be a very hard and lonely time. ...

One of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of Christmas is decorating the tree. Perhaps you do too! All the collages in this post consist of Christmas tree ornaments. I took these images in a year-round Christmas store that I frequent whenever I go to Niagara Falls. It’s a fun place to visit. They have beautiful Christmas decor. “The Christmas tree is a symbol of love, not money. There’s a kind of glory to them when they’re all lit up that exceeds anything all the money in the world could buy.” ― Andy Rooney ...

Toronto’s Allan Gardens is worth a visit over the holidays. As you can see from the above collage, the theme this year is musical. There’s someone playing a piano and to the right, there’s another musician with a bass instrument. “During the Victorian Christmas Show, the conservatory is decorated and filled with thousands of flowering plants and over 40 different varieties of poinsettias. The opening on the first Sunday in December features Christmas carollers, horse and wagon rides, hot apple cider and freshly baked cookies. The show runs until the end of December and the conservatory is opened late on weekends and can be viewed by candlelight.” (Wikipedia) ...

Christmas renews our youth by stirring our wonder. The capacity for wonder has been called our most pregnant human faculty, for in it are born our art, our science, our religion. -Ralph Sockman It’s wonderful to see the Christmas lights and decorations around Toronto as the big day approaches. Toronto’s City Hall Square is ablaze with lights and many skaters were on the rink the evening I was there. “Located in front of City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square is an events landmark in the centre of the city. During the summer, the square is in motion daily, with people watching concerts and dance performances, viewing art at outdoor exhibitions, shopping for fresh produce at the farmers’ market one afternoon a week, attending weekly children’s events or sitting mesmerized by the fountain, eating lunch. The Peace Garden is a small green haven in the square, ideal for quiet contemplation or reading. In the winter months, the reflecting pool becomes a skating rink, with skates available for rental. Ice skating during the winter months runs from mid-November to mid-March each year.” ...